Have you ever experienced a cold?
You can call me crazy, I feel it can be described when you're on a first date…
Think about it…your nervousness makes your body temperature rise, making you sweat, your heart starts pumping faster and you start to mumble nonsense.
As a cool customer gentleman, I've been on several dates, mostly with first timers so I know what I'm talking about…
…especially when I say that a duel can also be a considered a date, especially if it's the first time you've met your opponent. Each turn can be a step in the conversation…
Probably right now, you're considering me a mad man for saying this.
Heh…Love…what a mysterious feeling this can be…it can be as warm as the sun…
…or as I prefer…
As cold as the depths of Hades…
Chapter 31
A Cold-Heart
The night slowly gave way to the sun, allowing a small amount of light to pour through the slightly cold Slifer Red dorm. As Talo turned the pages of the book he held in his one hand, smirking slightly. "Heh…nothing like a classic…"
"Damn it Talo!" Densui snarled through his chattering teeth, wrapping him even tighter in his blankets. "Did you have to turn the temperature down to so much?!"
"Unfortunately Densui," Talo retorted not turning away from his book. "I didn't mess with the temperature, unlike the Atlantic Academy, we don't have a thermostat in our rooms…"
"Bull!" Densui roared falling from his part of the bunk bed, face first into the ground. "OW!"
"…regardless of what you think, it is the truth," Talo replied snapping the book shut and placing it onto his desk before he stood up. "…and besides…I'd rather get my target out of the way instead of bitching about the cold…"
"We'll you're the one that loves the cold!" Densui growled standing up with the blankets wrapped around his body as if it was a toga.
"Please…I might be cool," Talo said opening the door to exit the dorm room. "But, even I detest the cold at some levels, so don't think that you can pin any kind of slight decrease in the heat…"
Slamming the door behind him, Densui just yawned in response before falling to the ground ready to fall asleep. "Geez…Mr. Cool's looking not so cool this morning…"
"…I need more sleep…"
Meanwhile behind the Slifer Red dorm, Yae stood on the beach, watching the waves crashing onto the beach. Taking in a deep breath, Yae walked towards the water, to kneel down at the water to place her hand in the water.
The water was beautiful on a weekend morning…no classes, hardly any cares…
"…and hardly anything to do…" Yae sighed splashing her fist into the water.
Yae usually got up early no matter what day; this often led to boring days ahead of her ever since she got to the Duelist Academy…
She had tried to sleep in, but thanks to the early morning training she would normally go through before she followed Garu to the Academy, that wouldn't happen. It was a mystery to Yae how Takashi was able to sleep in.
Then again, he was a lazy (if not skilled shinobi slash ninja), and could afford to sleep in every now and then…
But back to the problem at hand, Yae was simply bored out of her mind this morning…Garu was asleep so she couldn't yell at him for being stupid, and later he would be in one of his tutoring sessions with Kara.
Ayame was currently working at the store this boring morning, so Yae couldn't join her for a cup of tea…
…and frankly, Yae wasn't a big fan of tea…
"Oh, my…what is this?" A slightly cold voice questioned, making Yae jump slightly. "A cool ocean breeze with the beautiful morning sun…Quite lovely…"
Yae immediately stood up, spinning on her heel to turn to see Talo standing to her right, his eyes locked on the ocean with his arms crossed. It was hard for Yae not to stare at Talo's weird red hair. '…and here I thought Garu's hair was strange…'
"…hello…" Talo greeted waving his hand towards Yae. "Is there something I can help you with, Miss?"
"Uh…" Yae stuttered rubbing the back of her head, there was something with this guy…but she didn't know what.
"Heh, heh," Talo chuckled combing a hand through his weird head of hair. "Tell me something…are all girls here at the academy as beautiful as you?"
…there it was.
"Humph!" Yae huffed turning away from Talo, simply crossing her arms. This is just what this academy needed, another self-proclaimed gift to women. "Buzz off, lover boy!"
"…hmm… I'm sorry if I upset you," Talo sighed shaking his head slowly walking to stand at Yae's side. "You see, I was just being a little curious. I'm new at this academy and I really didn't meet anyone new since I've been here, if I offended you, I apologize once more."
"Well…since you're new, I can forgive you once," Yae sighed shaking her head. "So…you got a name, freshmeat?"
Talo merely smirked a little brighter, making his slightly cold aura warm up as he held up his hand open. "By some weird coincidence I most certainly do! And its Talo Krys…I hail from the Atlantic Duel Academy. And may I ask your name?"
"Heh, you may," Yae replied taking Talo's slightly cold hand, shaking it for a few seconds before releasing. "Yae Nanako, first year here…"
Raising an eyebrow, Talo crossed his arms over his chest, smirking at the fighter red duelist. "I see, a fellow first year," Pushing a little bit of his hair from his face, Talo shook his head at Yae. "A pleasure to meet you… and thank you."
"Huh? For what?" Yae asked with a few question marks appearing over her head.
"…well…" Talo started to reply, his face starting to turn a little red.
"Hey! Yae!"
Yae immediately turned around, seeing Garu turning around the corner of the red dorm building. "Oh! Hey Garu! I want you to meet someone!"
Raising an eyebrow as he began to come closer to Yae, Garu scratched the side of his cheek. "Uh, Yae…what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about…" Yae started to turn point towards Talo…unfortunately; he was no where in sight. "…him?"
"…wow, I didn't think you had the imagination to make up a fake friend!" Garu laughed slightly rubbing his nose.
"…yeah, yeah," Yae sighed shaking her head. Was Talo just an illusion? "Um, anyway, what are you doing up so early?"
"Eh, I haven't been sleeping that well lately," Garu yawned scratching the back of his head. "Ever since that fortuneteller guy I saw a couple days ago, I've been getting nothing but nightmares…"
"Did something he say affect you that bad?" Yae asked crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't think so, I think it was actually the blow to my head you gave me," Garu stated nodding his head a few times, not noticing the large blood vessel appearing on his head. "Yeah…I think I'm starting to get a head trauma…"
"Oh, then how about a stomach trauma?" Yae suggested lifting her fist up.
"There's actually one of those?" Garu questioned raising his head up.
POW!
"OMPHF!" Garu spat out, immediately covering his stomach as Yae removed her fist from his stomach.
"There is now," Yae commented walking past Garu who had fallen to his knees grasping his stomach tightly. "I like you better when you're fast asleep."
"…oh man…that hurts, badly…" Garu moaned curling up.
Later, at a cliff side that was located near the forest that was close to the Red Dorm, however it was at the opposite entrance…the waves crashing up against the cliff…the sky turning blue…and the mysterious structures that were being built by a single person…
"Grr! Why the hell am I doing all this work?!" Fomalhaut growled brushing the sweat off of his head. He was stripped of his usual obelisk blue overcoat to wear a black sleeveless shirt with a yellow hardhat over his hair.
Lucian on the other hand was relaxing on a fold up chair with a large thin glass of iced tea in his hands, sipping on the drink through a small straw. With a sigh of Relief, Lucian chuckled tilting his head to the side. "Well…you didn't want to seek out your target, so I got orders to get you to help build this…"
"Oh yeah? Would the orders be the same if I called the boss?" Fomalhaut challenged tossing his hardhat to the ground.
Shaking his head, Lucian immediately pulled out his cell phone, tossing it towards Fomalhaut who immediately caught the device. "Knock yourself out…its on quick dial number seven…"
"Thanks…" Fomalhaut growled pressing the correct buttons on the cell phone.
"Hey, what's up? Big Boss here!"
"…uh, is this the boss?" Fomalhaut asked blinking a few times.
"I'm not in at the moment, so leave your message at the beep!"
BEEP!
Raising an eyebrow at the fact he had to leave a message, Fomalhaut shook his head and took a deep breath before talking. "Okay…uh, hello there Big Boss, I'm Fomal…"
"You have reached the voice mail system," A monotone woman's voice stated over the phone.
"…this is annoying…" Fomalhaut groaned pinching his brow.
"To leave a message, just wait for the tone."
"I know how a to leave a message, I'm not like that stupid red student," Fomalhaut growled closing his eyes.
"Maybe you should just get back at work?" Lucian suggested before taking another sip of his iced tea.
"Shut up! You know I'm on the phone!" Fomalhaut snapped back.
"When you are done recording, please hang up the phone or press pound for more options."
"…does Big Boss think we're retarded or something?" Fomalhaut asked receiving a shrug from Lucian. "I think anyone can work a damn answering machine…"
"For delivery options, press five."
"…give me the damn beep!" Fomalhaut snarled tightening his grip on his phone.
"To leave a call back number, press eight. For English options press one."
"You're already speaking English!" Fomalhaut growled making a few cracks appear in the cell phone.
"To repeat these options press nine."
"I swear, if I ever meet these people who record these messages," Fomalhaut barked at Lucian with a blood vessel appearing on the side of his head. "I'll make them suffer till the ends of time."
"…you realize that if you break my phone," Lucian stated placing his glass on the ground. "You'll have to pay for a new one."
Talo sighed loudly as he sat down at one of the tables in the Red Cafeteria, wagging the talisman that he received yesterday in front of his face. He knew it wouldn't be hard for him to find his target…
"…I just didn't think it'd be this easy…" Talo sighed before pocketing the talisman back into his jacket's pocket, shaking his head.
"What's easy?"
"Hmm?" Talo questioned turning back to see Yae standing behind him. "Ah! We'll its easy to bump into a familiar face around here…"
"Where'd you go?" Yae asked walking to the other side of the seat. "I wanted to introduce you to my friend…"
"Ah, yes, well," Talo sighed reaching for his belt, pulling up a small icy blue PDA. "I have my PDA on vibrate, and I got a personal message from Principal Daigo about my schedule…and well, there was a private part of the message that I had to read as a private matter…"
"I guess that makes sense," Yae replied noticing the small pot with a few cups on a silver metal tray. "What's all this?"
"Oh, while reading my messages, I made some iced tea," Talo answered pouring the tea into two of the cups. "Care for some?"
"I'm not a big fan of tea," Yae replied taking one of the cups while Talo took another one. "But, I've never had iced tea before."
"Well then," Talo chuckled lifting his cup up in the air with a large smile on his face. "To new experiences and new friendships!"
"Here, here!" Yae laughed tapping the glass onto Talo's, before taking a sip from her glass. As soon as the drink touched her tongue, Yae's face immediately soured up. "Urk!"
"Ha, ha," Talo snickered after taking a long sip of his tea. "I can see that you're like my friend…can't stand iced tea…"
"Really? What's your friend like?" Yae asked pushing the cup of tea away from her.
"Frankly, I consider him more of a…um, what's someone you call you don't really like?" Talo muttered to himself crossing his left arm over his chest and rubbing his chin with his right hand, all the while picturing three chibi versions of Densui in his head one sleeping with a large bubble at his nose, the second performing a headstand, and the third drinking from his gourd. "After all, he's a lazy, creepy and over indulging jerk…"
"Yeesh, I'd hate to meet your friend, or jerk," Yae responded, not realizing that they both knew who they were talking about.
"But, enough about him, you mind telling me a little bit about yourself?" Talo asked before taking another sip of his iced tea. "After all, I only know that you don't like tea…and you possibly like duel monsters, because you're at a duel academy after all…"
"Actually, I was forced to look after one of my friends who's coming here," Yae sighed lowering her head to the table. "I swear, he's just like a little kid…I bet no one else on the island has to deal with crap this annoying…"
"To mark this message as important, please press eleven."
"THERE IS NO ELEVEN, YOU DUMBASS BITCH!" Fomalhaut roared loudly into the phone.
"Hey! Watch your language!" Lucian snapped.
"…I guess you'll never know," Talo chuckled crossing his arms. "So, what's your friend like?"
"Eh, I don't think that you'd want to hear about that knuckle head," Yae replied shaking her head.
"…perhaps…" Talo snickered placing his chin on his hand, propping him on the table as he kept his eyes on Yae. "Then how about we change the subject? What's it like at the academy?"
"Well…it's like there's always something weird going on," Yae answered rubbing her chin. "Although, it's kinda hard to see it…in fact just the other day…"
"Yae! Ya gotta help me!"
Both turning to the side, Yae and Talo both saw Garu standing outside the nearby window with a stressed out look on his face. "Garu? I though you were supposed to be in your tutoring session?"
"I managed to escape out the window when Kara dropped one of the books," Garu explained with a wink. "Now listen, I'll need ya to send her off my trail as I make my way to the academy."
"Garu..." Yae sighed slapping her forehead.
"Mr. Honzou," Talo muttered crossing his arms.
"Huh?" Garu questioned, popping his head through the window. "How do you know my name?"
"I was in your tour a few days ago," Talo answered bluntly swirling the cup of iced tea in his hand. "Or do you not remember me?"
"Well, you kinda disappeared…" Garu stated raising an eyebrow.
"…hard to keep interested when your tour guide ditches you for a duel," Talo retorted making Garu lower his head. "And besides…I would think that maybe you should reconsider running away from this Kara…"
"What? I'm not running away from her," Garu stated waving his arms. "I'm running away from my homework!"
"…perhaps maybe if you did better in your school work," Yae muttered shaking her head at Garu. "Then you wouldn't have a tutoring session to run from."
"I agree with the lady," Talo stated before taking a sip of his tea.
"…whatever…" Garu groaned slipping back through the window. "Just give me a hand will ya?"
"Fine," Yae answered back shaking her head. "But this is the last time."
"Thanks Yae!" Garu thanked.
Placing his cup of tea on the table in front of him, Talo just shook his head at Garu in a disapprovingly manner. "If I were you Mr. Honzou, I would consider it lucky that you know two lovely girls, one of them is willing to spend time with you to improve your grades…"
"And the other is willing to help you as a dear friend, even if it is in a dishonest manner."
"Hey!" Garu snarled popping his head through the window once more. "I'll have you know that I treat my friends with respect!"
"G-Garu!"
Before Garu could react, a familiar hand clutched his ear, pulling him away from the window. Both Yae and Talo looked out the window to see Kara pulling on Garu's ear, even though she had a large blush on her face and a book in her other hand. "OW!OW!OW!OW!"
"Hey Kara, I see that little trick I taught ya worked," Yae snickered earning a painful glare from Garu.
"Y-Yeah…I-I still th-think it's a little t-too aggressive though," Kara stated turning slightly.
"Y-Yae?! You taught her that?!" Garu shouted with a few tears appearing in his eyes from the pain on his ear. "WHY!"
"G-Garu, w-we need to continue our session," Kara said walking away, still having a firm grip on Garu's ear.
"OW! OW! OW!" Garu shouted being pulled away from the window.
"Oh my…I take it that was Kara then?" Talo asked pouring himself some more iced tea. "And your friend that you didn't want to talk about as well I take it."
"That's sharp," Yae complimented snapping her fingers.
"…cool…" Talo snickered placing the cup on the table for a third time. "…ya know…you remind me of someone I knew from my previous academy…"
"Really? And who was that?" Yae questioned raising an eyebrow.
Instead of answering, Talo just reached into his jacket's pocket, immediately lifting up a deck of duel monster cards. Placing the deck onto the table directly in front of Yae, Talo just smiled brightly. "…if you care to find out…then how about a duel? Right here, Right now?"
"Huh?" Yae stated, blinking a few times.
"…to hear these options in Spanish, press dos."
"I HATE YOU!" Fomalhaut roared throwing the cell phone into the air, and then with a spin, slammed his foot into the phone. The kick sent the small device flying over the cliff and drop into the ocean.
"…you owe me a cell phone," Lucian stated bluntly appearing behind the enraged Fomalhaut.
"I KNOW!!" Fomalhaut snapped, glaring fiery daggers at Saint of Greed.
"…and you spent too much on the phone…" Lucian added crossing his arms looking at the weird structures that still had yet to be finished. "…and you're behind schedule…"
"I KNOW! I ALREADY KNOW THAT!" Fomalhaut roared throwing his arms in the air.
"…which is why I called some help," Lucian finished allowing the cloak to cover his body once more.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THAT I KN…" Fomalhaut screamed into the air, pulling his hair before he realized what Lucian just said. "Wait…what?"
"I ordered three of the followers to come here to take over the work," Lucian stated lifting up a blue PDA that had many yellow and white stars on it…three guesses who's PDA that is. "And in case you're wondering how, I owe it to this PDA."
"Hey, that's…" Fomalhaut started.
"OI! We're here!"
"…finally…" Lucian sighed spinning on his heel, turning to the three familiar members of the building crew.
"…oh great, we get a bunch of…" Fomalhaut sighed slapping his forehead.
"Fomalhaut, its time you leave," Lucian stated making Fomalhaut stop in his tracks. "I remember giving you one of those talismans yesterday, so go get your target…"
"If I get out of building this piece of crap, then fine," Fomalhaut chuckled shaking his head, sending a few droplets of sweat flying off his brow. "I just need a shower first, and then I'll get right on it…"
"Oh and Fomalhaut…" Lucian said.
"Yeah?" Fomalhaut asked turning his head back to Lucian.
"…remember…you owe me a new cell phone…" Lucian chuckled returning back to his seat.
"I KNOW!"
"Now then…are you sure you want to duel?" Talo asked shuffling his deck of cards before snapping the cards into his icy blue duel disk.
"Weren't you the one who challenged me?" Yae retorted walking to the opposite end of the Red cafeteria, activating her duel disk.
"Ah, too true, too true," Talo stated lifting his duel disk up into the air, activating the life point counter on the device. "But still…you didn't have to accept…"
"I know, but still, it'll be a good way to kill some time," Yae replied.
"Well then…" Talo sighed pulling his first five cards off of his deck.
"DUEL!"
"…and since I'm a gentleman," Talo stated shaking his head. "You may have the first turn…" (TLP: 8000)
"Well, you're a lot better than some of the guys I've met on the island, that's for sure," Yae admitted pulling her sixth card from the top of her deck into her hand. "…and I'll start off with Kung Fu Kid!" (YLP: 8000)
Jumping from the ceiling, the young blue haired fighter landed on the ground, immediately executing a fighter's stance (1300/1200).
"Hmm…interesting," Talo muttered crossing his arms. "But now what exactly do you plan on doing?"
"Simple, I'll activate the spell card, Quick Attack!" Yae announced as a powerful aura appeared around the Kung Fu Kid. "Now, since it's the first turn, I can have my monster attack you right now!"
Talo's eyes widened as the Kung Fu Fighter appeared directly in front of him, unleashing a small flurry of punches directly into Talo's stomach. "OOF!" (TLP: 6700)
"Sorry about that," Yae sighed as the Kung Fu Kid leapt back in front of her, shaking his head at his master apologizing to their opponent. "But you know what they say about dueling…"
"Ya know, you're a good strategist," Talo stated as a card appeared behind the Kung Fu Kid.
"That's a little premature," Yae stated crossing her arms. "In fact, it's only the first turn."
"And as I draw," Talo muttered pulling his sixth. "It'll become the second. And now, do you think that it's a little warm in this room?"
"A little warm?" Yae asked raising an eyebrow. "I don't really know, I'm used to this kind of weather now…maybe it's your jacket?"
"…perhaps, but either way," Talo stated taking one of the cards from his hand and lifting it over his duel disk, before slapping it onto the device. "I'll cool the temperature down by summoning Crystal Ice Soldier!"
A cold breeze swept through the cafeteria, quickly turning into a powerful gust of wind that seemed to have snow billowing along with it. Walking through the snow storm, a skinny ice soldier, made completely out of ice with long arms and legs, paced forward (1200/1000) till it stood in front of Talo, just standing there as if it was a statue.
"Huh? What in the world is that?" Yae questioned, the Kung Fu Kid shrugged, signifying that he didn't know the answer to that question.
"This, my fair friend," Talo started lifting his disk up to fit two more cards into his duel disk. "Is my Crystal Ice Soldier, one of the more chilling monsters in the game to say the least…"
"Yeah, but your monster can't beat my Fighter," Yae retorted, before noticing that she was able to see her own breath.
"Normally, but you see, my soldier has a hidden ability," Talo explained as the soldier began to grow slightly (1200/1000 + 200/0). "As long as my Ice monster is face up on the field, I can increase the attack points of all aqua monsters face up on the field by two hundred points for each aqua monster on the field. And he himself is an Aqua monster…"
"Attack her Kung Fu Kid if you please my soldier."
Raising its stick like arms into the air, the Crystal Ice Soldier's arms quickly extended forward as if they were spears, shooting forward until they pierced both of the shoulders of the Kung Fu Kid. The icy spears forced the Kung Fu Kid to the wall near the kitchen, slamming the warrior into pixels. (YLP: 7900)
"Not bad, but not good enough to stop my trap, Rematch!" Yae announced slipping a card into her duel disk's graveyard, allowing her trap card flipping up to show a bruised fighter standing up against a rugged boxer. "This trap card can only be activated when you destroy a level four or lower warrior monster on my side of the field as a result of battle. After I discard one card, I can special summon the monster that was destroyed…with a bonus!"
The trap card shattered, allowing a slightly bruised Kung Fu Kid (1300/1200 + 300/300) to jump to the field, crossing his arms at Talo.
"I guess I was right," Talo chuckled crossing his arms over his chest. "You are as strategic as you are beautiful…"
"Sorry, but flirting won't work," Yae replied drawing her next card.
"Flirting?" Talo chuckled shaking his head. "Please, I wouldn't degrade you or myself. I was simply paying you a simple compliment as one duelist to another."
"Yeah, right," Yae sighed rubbing her forehead.
"Interpret it anyway you deem fit," Talo stated. "But, I'll stand by my comment."
"…Whatever you say," Yae stated shaking her head as she lifted up her duel disk. "So back to our duel, I'll activate the field spell card Fighter's Battle Arena!"
The entire cafeteria flashed brightly, immediately turning into a large outdoor arena with a stone stand for the fighter's area. The holographic sun was shinning over the arena as the Kung Fu Kid stood on the stone platform, crossing his arms (1600/1500).
"Interesting spell…but it didn't increase your monster's attack one bit," Talo stated kicking the stone platform that his Crystal Ice Soldier slowly stepped onto the platform.
"You'll see what it can do soon," Yae stated taking another card from her hand. "But, now, I've still got my normal summon this turn, so I'll summon Kung Fu Lass!"
Leaping onto the fighter's ground, the female, pink haired version of the Kung Fu Kid stood next to her counterpart, raising her fists up (1200/1300). "And now…Kung Fu Kid! Attack that Crystal Ice Soldier!"
Disappearing in a blue blur, the Kung Fu Kid slammed his foot into the ice soldier's head, shattering the monster's head into millions of shards. (TLP: 6500)
"…I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Talo stated lifting two cards up, one a monster known as Cold Droid and the other a spell card called Treasure of the Deep, slipping them into their duel disk graveyard. "But, with my monster's destruction, you can say goodbye to this sun…"
Talo's trap card flipped up, showing a young girl wearing a large coat dancing in a light snowfall. "…and say hello to a Graceful Snowfall…you see, by discarding two cards from my hand, I can special summon a level six or lower Water monster from my deck."
Clouds began to cover the holographic sun's rays, allowing a light snowfall to fall onto the fighting platform. Then, falling from the snowy clouds, a powerful large being of ice slammed into the stone platform as a flurry of snow and ice that flew into the air, it was a very beautiful sight at best. Yae turned her attention away from the snow and ice flying in the air and looked at the monster that now stood a good twelve feet tall in front of Talo. The monster before him was dressed in icy silver armor that had a dark blue cape flowing on its shoulders (2400/1000). "…of course his effect is negated…but Mobius the Frost Monarch is still a powerful monster…"
"Urk…" Yae gulped, not expecting such a powerful monster. 'My field spell can't help me with this right now…I'll have to wait next turn.'
"I hope you don't mind," Talo snickered drawing another card from his deck, giving him a small hand of two cards. "But I'll be taking my turn…and I'll start with my trap card, Call of the Haunted!"
The other face down card disappeared, allowing a large coffin made entirely out of dark, thick ice, to rise up from the stone platform. Immediately, a large claw pierced the coffin, shattering the coffin to allow an icy blue metallic humanoid machine with large gauntlets with claws at the hands (1200/600). "Allow me to introduce my Cold Droid, and he'll be introducing you to two more players…"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Yae asked as two shadows appeared behind the Cold Droid, both of them leaping to the side…
…revealing two more exact copies of the Cold Droid (1200/600 x2), allowing all three of the Cold Droids to lift their arms up in a threatening manner. "You see, when my Cold Droid is special summoned from my graveyard, I can special summon two Cold Droid Tokens to my field."
"And to use them…Cold Droid Token number one! Attack Kung Fu Lass!"
A smirk appeared on Yae's face as the Cold Droid leapt toward the also smirking Kung Fu Lass…
SMACK!
The Kung Fu Lass slammed her foot directly into the Cold Droid Token's head, sending the monster flying into the air past Talo's head. (TLP: 6300)
Talo's eyes widened while the Kung Fu Lass (1400/1300) spun back placing her leg back on the ground. "How'd your fighter get stronger?"
"Heh, my Kung Fu Lass trains herself when she's not fighting," Yae explained wagging her finger while the Kung Fu Lass did the same. "In game terms, she gains two hundred attack points during my battle phases she doesn't attack. But when she does attack, she loses her bonus."
"I see…" Talo replied rubbing his chin a little before lifting his hand up towards Mobius. "Then it's your turn Mobius! Crush the Kung Fu Lass!"
Clasping its hands together, Mobius created a powerful burst of cold air that immediately formed into a large block of ice that the Frost Monarch lifted over his head. Then slamming the ice into the ground, Mobius sent many shards of ice that flew directly into the surprised Kung Fu Lass, shattering her like the ice that was attacking her. (YLP: 6900)
"And since I have nothing more in my hand that I wish to use," Talo stated fanning his two cards in front of his face. "I'll leave it to you…"
"Thanks, and now I'll show you how," Yae replied snapping a new card into her hand. "We duel here at the Pacific Academy! I summon Kung Fu –Steel Fan!"
Jumping from the side of the fighting arena, a new fighter stood next to the Kung Fu Kid, this one a young woman with long green hair tied into a long tail to keep the hair from her experienced, tanned face. With a dark green fighter's gi covering her body with a large black dot on her chest, the new warrior snapped open a large steel fan (1500/800).
"…I take it that you must enjoy the martial arts then," Talo chuckled shaking his head.
"You'd be right," Yae stated lifting her hand up towards the Kung Fu Kid. "And now, Kung Fu Kid! Attack Mobius!"
"…if that's what you desire…" Talo sighed. "Mobius…counter attack."
Both of the monsters charged towards each other, and throwing its large fist, Mobius launched a powerful punch towards the Kung Fu Kid…
…only to have the young Kung Fu Kid jump on the Frost Monarch's fist, running up the ice monster's arm to slam his foot into Mobius's head, knocking the helmet clear off as well as a few of Talo's life points. (TLP: 6100)
"Dare I ask?" Talo asked rubbing the back of his head before looking at the field. "Oh wait…is this your field spell's doing?"
"Yep, when a Kung Fu monster attacks a monster with a higher attack points," Yae explained as the Kung Fu Kid flipped back to her side of the field. "It lowers the opposing monster's attack points by one thousand during the damage step."
"…Well then…please continue with your turn," Talo requested before the Kung Fu – Steel Fan appeared in front of the original Cold Droid. "Urk!"
"You've got that right!" Yae shouted throwing her arm to the side as the Kung Fu – Steel Fan slammed her fan directly into the Cold Droid's head, sending it into the ground, shattering it and the Cold Droid Token at the same time. "…didn't expect that though…" (TLP: 5800)
"When the original is killed, my Cold Droid takes its clones with it," Talo explained crossing his arms. "And, do you have any other tricks you'd like to try?"
"I'll just set one trick face down and end my turn," Yae announced fitting the card into her duel disk, making the card appear behind her two Kung Fu monsters. "And it's your move again."
"Very well…" Talo chuckled pulling the top card from his deck, simply looking at the card before taking the other two cards from his hand to slip them into his duel disk. "First, I'll set these two cards, and then activate the spell card simply known as Card of Demise…"
Talo's spell card appeared before him, showing a cloaked man reaching for a deck of cards that have been sliced through a guillotine. "Now…I can draw till I hold five cards…a simple trick to get the most out of a draw card."
"Well, that's just common knowledge," Yae muttered as Talo swiftly snapped up his five cards.
Ignoring that last comment, Talo looked over his next five cards, placing his fingers on all of the cards. Then gently grabbing one of the cards, Talo slowly placed it into his duel disk. "I activate the spell card, Heavy Storm! So all spell and trap cards are destroyed!"
As the powerful billowing windstorm swept the area, Yae lifted her arm up to protect her eyes from the storm. However, the face down cards and the arena were no match for the storm, shattering them all into millions of pixels.
"And now, I'll use the effect of the two cards that were destroyed," Talo continued as the two cards reformed themselves, the first showing a large treasure chest inside a large block of ice on the spell card's border. "The first is known as Frozen Treasure, now; I send one Water monster from my deck…"
Talo quickly fanned out his deck, pulling one a single card that was spun around showing a monster known as Dark Ice Cerberus. And after a quick shuffle, Talo snapped off two more cards from his deck. "And then I can draw two more cards…and now, I'll activate Monster Reincarnation, so I'll discard True Cold from my hand, to take back Dark Ice Cerberus from my graveyard…" That's when ice began to form at Talo's feet, slowly crawling up his legs till it reached his waist.
"Huh? Now what's happening?" Yae asked noticing that the ice was beginning to cover the rest of the cafeteria.
"Allow me to explain, fair lady," Talo stated wagging one of the remaining four cards in the air. "During the turn my True Cold was discarded, I'm forbidden from summoning a level four or lower monster from my hand…"
Then slapping the card onto his duel disk, a large amount of the ice erupted upwards behind Talo. The ice began to form itself form into a very large three head feral beast. "…but in return, I can normal summon a level five or higher water monster without tribute! And I'll summon, Dark Ice Cerberus!"
The ice shattered into the walls of the cafeteria, making both of Yae's fighters defend themselves from the powerful force.
"GRRRRR…"
That sound echoed through the cafeteria, making Yae take a step backwards at the monster that now stood behind Talo. Although it was crouched down to fit inside the cafeteria, the beast was none the less impressive, a three headed dog covered with ice like armor on its black fur. Around all three of the dogs' heads was a large collar with shattered chains attached to the collar that made the beast seem even more enraged (2800/2100).
"I apologize Dark Ice Cerberus," Talo sighed shaking his head. "I had no intent of summoning you in such a cramped location…"
"…may I ask why you're talking to your holograms?" Yae questioned with a sweatdrop rolling down her head.
"…I consider my cards a part of me," Talo answered as he and all three of the heads of the Dark Ice Cerberus turned towards Yae. "It may be somewhat weird, but this big guy right here…well, he just clicked with me…"
"There has to be a card in your deck that clicks with you right? Perhaps the Kung Fu Kid? Kung Fu Lass? I've only seen three of your monsters so I wouldn't know what else you have…"
"Never really thought about it…" Yae replied rubbing her chin. Compared to a few people it was easy to see what cards went with them, Garu had Ryu – Kitsune Ninja, Cain's was more than likely that Wandering Alchemist…
…Yae had no idea how Talo could have the Dark Ice Cerberus as his representing card.
"Well, I'm sure you'll find out eventually," Talo replied taking the last three cards in his hand, and sliding all three of them into his duel disk's graveyard. "But, until then, we'll have to move on with the duel…and in order for my Dark Ice Cerberus to move, I need to discard a card from my hand…"
"But in return, he's allowed attack three times, one card per attack!"
"But that means…" Yae asked as all three of the frozen beast's heads opened their large fanged mouths, each taking in a large breath of air.
"Correct, both of your monsters will take two of the attacks," Talo stated snapping his fingers three times. "And as much as I hate to do it…so will you, my apologies in advance…"
That's when three powerful icy blue bursts of energy fired from the large beast's mouths, engulfing the surprised Kung Fu Kid, Kung Fu – Steel Fan, and Yae herself, dramatically lowering the temperature in the cafeteria at the same time.
With the bursts died down, Yae was left alone on the field, rubbing her bare arms to keep herself warm. "T-T-T-That was c-c-cold!" (YLP: 1600)
"…uh…" Talo stuttered scratching the side of his head while all three of the heads of the Dark Ice Cerberus sweatdropped at the pun. "Ha! Ha! A great sense of humor as well! I must be lucky to meet such a lovely person!"
The Dark Ice Cerberus just groaned loudly from Talo's saying.
"Um…okay," Yae muttered, now able to see her breath because of the low temperature.
"Anyway, due to the second effect of my True Cold spell card," Talo stated lifting his hand up to snap off the Dark Ice Cerberus's card from his duel disk. "My Dark Ice Cerberus has to return to my hand…"
With three annoyed growls, the Dark Ice Cerberus disappeared, taking all of the ice that had grown in the cafeteria with it. So, wagging the final card in his hand between two of his fingers, Talo crossed his arms. "And since I don't have any other cards…I'll end my turn…"
"…Ya know, this is actually the first real fun duel I've had," Yae admitted slowly drawing. "Albeit, it was a little cold I'll admit…"
"Glad I could be of service," Talo chuckled.
"…that being said, then I can't give up easily!" Yae continued turning one of the cards in her hand around to show it as the Pot of Greed. And with the green jar appearing on the field, Yae snapped two more cards from her deck. "…and I've got just what I need! First, I activate the spell card, the Warrior Returning Alive, so Kung Fu Kid returns from my graveyard back to my hand!"
Just as the card popped out of her graveyard slot, Yae immediately slapped the card onto her duel disk, allowing the Kung Fu Kid to reappear on the field, raising his hand up ready to fight (1300/1200). "And remember when you said that there was a monster that a person could link to?"
"I actually said click," Talo replied crossing his arms to look at the Dark Ice Cerberus in his hands. "But you've got the right idea…"
"Then allow me to show you mine!" Yae announced as the Kung Fu Kid disappeared into thin air. "You see, I need to send a Kung Fu monster away, and I can special summon Kung Fu Young Master!"
Now standing before Yae was a young man with long black hair tied back into a braided tail, covering his muscular body was a tight purple fighter's gi and black pants, along with a long white sash around his waist (1900/1400). The new fighter raised his hands up in a back stance, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
"…interesting choice," Talo stated raising an eyebrow.
"Well, it's his skills as a fighter that link us," Yae stated, a smile appearing on her face. "You see, since the monster I used to summon him, that gives him the ability to attack twice in the battle phase."
"Oh," Talo stated before the Kung Fu Young Master appeared in front of him. "…oh…"
"Give him a taste of a real direct attack!" Yae announced.
Delivering a powerful punch to Talo's stomach, making the ice duelist buckle down to clasp his stomach, the Kung Fu Young Master immediately slammed the side of his foot directly into Talo's face…
…sending Talo to the ground with a loud crash. (TLP: 2000)
"Um, are you okay?" Yae asked as the Kung Fu Young Master slowly walked back to her side of the field.
"Ah, no, no, don't trouble yourself," Talo chuckled slowly standing up, rubbing his face a few times thanks to the new bruise on his face. "I'm fine really, it'll take more than a punch to the stomach and a foot to the face to take me down."
"Well, okay, then I'll just end my turn with one card face down," Yae announced fitting the last card in her hand into the duel disk, making it appear behind the Kung Fu Young Master.
"Joy…" Talo chuckled snapping his next card off of his duel disk. "And now, I activate the effect of a spell card that was placed in my graveyard several turns ago…known as Treasure of the Deep!"
With a flash of his graveyard, Talo immediately lifted a spell card that depicted of an ancient rusted treasure chest inside a large sunken pirate ship. "…I'll admit it doesn't follow my ice deck's outside theme…but for the strategic theme it works wonders."
"Well, I don't really know your strategy," Yae replied tilting her head slightly.
"Don't worry, it takes people three or four tries to figure it out," Talo stated placing the spell card into his jacket's pocket. "Now then, back to my spell. When there are ten or more cards on top of it, by removing it from play we both can draw two more cards from our decks…"
"Any reason why you're being generous?" Yae asked raising an eyebrow as she and Talo snapped off the top two cards from their decks.
"Well, we're nearing the end of this duel, so I figured I'd show you that I'm a nice guy outside and inside the dueling field," Talo answered lifting the four card hand he now held. "And I think its time you meet another one more of my deck's headliners…"
"So I activate the ritual spell card Frozen Heaven!"
A bright flash of light erupted through the entire cafeteria, immediately freezing the floor, ceiling, walls, tables…basically anything that wasn't living. "And now, but offering my Dark Ice Cerberus…"
A loud roar erupted through the frozen cafeteria, causing a large spike of ice to erupt in front of Talo. "…and now, I can summon Ice Fubuki Lord!"
The large ice spike shattered into millions of shards, allowing an icy cold man with long dark blue hair with cold blank eyes step forward, lifting his arms to show that under his fancy blue robe, his arms were a pair of icy wolf heads, both of them snarling at Yae and the Kung Fu Young Master (2950/2000).
"What in the…" Yae questioned as the young master narrowed his eyes at the weird monster.
"And I'm not done! I activate the equip spell, Cold Night Breeze!" Talo announced as a visible wind appeared around the Ice Fubuki Lord (2950/2000 + 300/0), allowing many icicles to erupt on his clothes. "This can only be equipped to a Water monster, but it bestows my monster a devastating ability."
"But enough about that! Ice Fubuki Lord! Attack with Night's Endless Blizzard!"
Crossing his arms over his chest, the Fubuki Lord's biceps began to grow at a fast rate, then the ice monster snapped his arms towards the Kung Fu Young Master.
"I don't think so! I activate my trap card, Mirror Force!" Yae announced throwing her arm over her face down card…
…her frozen solid face down card that immediately shattered.
"What!?" Yae shouted before the Ice Fubuki Lord's wolf like hands opened up.
"I thought a lot of people knew about my Lord's effect," Talo sighed shaking his head. "You see, my lord's attacks cannot be chained by spell or trap cards, and thanks to my equip spell, I can destroy one spell or trap card when my monster attacks."
That's when two powerful blizzards erupted from the wolf heads' mouths, engulfing the Young Master, turning the monster into a large statue of ice before shattering into chunks of ice. (YLP: 250)
"Ack!?" Yae jumped with the powerful attack, there was more to this Talo than he gave off with his appearance. Was he supposed to be in the Red dorm?
"And now…I'll end my turn…" Talo concluded. "I'm pretty sure that you'll be able to counter my second trump card…"
"Er, we'll see," Yae muttered slowly drawing her one card…an equip spell known as Greaves of the Fighter. "Uh…I've gotta end my turn…"
"I see…" Talo sighed pulling his next card without looking at the card. "Ice Fubuki Lord…please attack her directly, but be gentle…"
With a loud sigh, the Ice Fubuki Lord lifted up the wolf heads, sending two small bursts of cold air into Yae's body, making her shiver. (YLP: 0)
"W-Why was it cold?" Yae chattered through her teeth as the hologram of the Ice Fubuki Lord disappeared into thin air.
"I don't know," Talo answered bluntly, walking over to Yae with his hands in his jacket's pockets. "But anyway, thank you for such a warm welcoming duel…"
"…you're kidding right?" Yae asked rubbing her arms.
"Ha, ha! I suppose so," Talo chuckled lifting his right hand up. "But besides that, thank you for the duel nonetheless. Perhaps we can duel again…or maybe something a little different?"
"Heh, maybe if you can beat me twice," Yae replied slipping her hand into Talo's…
…only to have a hard grip forced on her hand. "Hey! Not so hard!"
"Oh!" Talo gasp immediately pulling his hand back to place over his mouth, trying to cover the blush that was on his face. "I-I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous when I come in direct contact with girls…I-I'm sorry!"
And with that, Talo ran out of the cafeteria with a small cloud of dust following him.
Slapping her forehead with her right hand, Yae shook her head at Talo's actions. "Yeesh…what a weird guy…"
Yae didn't notice that the back of her hand was glowing slightly with a weird marking on it…disappearing after a few seconds…
Meanwhile, leaning outside the cafeteria, Talo was still blushing slightly lifting his phone up to his ear.
"I'm sorry, the customer you are trying to call has just had their phone destroyed. Please call again when they aren't too cheap to buy a new phone."
"…Hmm…" Talo sighed snapping his phone shut. "…and here I thought I was going to tell Lucian that I left my mark…"
"…Such a pity of a beautiful face…"
Card Stats
Dark Ice Cerberus / Water / LV. 8 / ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2100 / Beast/Effect: This card is considered to be an 'Aqua' type. Before this card attacks, you must destroy one card on your side of the field (for each attack) in order for this card to attack. This card may attack up to three times.
Description: An extremely large three headed dog covered with ice like armor. Around all three of the dogs' heads is a large collar with shattered chains attached to the collar.
Crystal Ice Soldier / Water / LV. 4 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1000 / Aqua/Effect: As long as this card is face up on the field, increase the attack of all Aqua type monsters by 200 points for each Aqua monster on your side of the field.
Description: A skinny ice soldier, made completely out of ice with long arms and legs.
Cold Droid / Water / LV. 3 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 600 / Machine/Effect: When this card is special summoned to your side of the field, you may special summon two 'Cold Droid Tokens' (Water / LV. 3 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 600 / Machine) on your side of the field. If this card is destroyed, destroy all 'Cold Droid Tokens' on your side field.
Description: An ice blue metallic humanoid with large gauntlets with claws at the hand.
Ice Fubuki Lord / Water / LV. 8 / ATK: 2950 / DEF: 2000 / Aqua/Ritual/Effect: This card can only be Ritual Summoned by the effect of 'Frozen Heaven' and by offering monsters who levels total 8 or more. When this monster attacks, your opponent cannot chain spell or trap cards to this card's attack.
Description: An icy cold man with long dark blue hair with cold blank eyes wearing a fancy blue robe with a pair of icy wolf heads where his arms would be
True Cold / Spell / Effect: During the turn this card is discarded from your hand by a card cost, you can not summon any level four or lower monsters from your hand. During this turn you may normal summon one level five or higher Water monster from your hand with out tribute. Return the monster that was summoned
Image: A powerful warrior being covered in a dark ice prison.
Treasure from the Deep / Spell / Effect: This card can only be activated when this card is in your graveyard and has ten or more cards on top of it. Remove this card from play and all players draw two cards.
Image: An ancient rusted treasure chest inside a large sunken pirate ship.
Cold Night Breeze / Equip Spell / Effect: This card can only be equipped to a Water Attribute monster. Increase the equipped monster's attack by 300 points. When the equipped monster attacks, you may destroy one spell or trap card on the field.
Image: A light house at night with a small snow flurry coming from the sky.
Frozen Heaven / Ritual Spell / Effect: This card is used to Ritual Summon 'Ice Fubuki Lord'. You must offer monsters from the field or your hand whose total Level Stars equal to or more than 8.
Image: An icy castle with many feathers falling from the sky.
Graceful Snowfall / Trap / Effect: This card can only be activated when a monster on your side of the field is destroyed. Discard two cards from your hand. Special summon one level six or lower Water monster from your deck.
Image: A young girl wearing a large coat dancing in the snow.
Kung Fu - Steel Fan / Wind / LV. 4 / ATK: 1500 / DEF: 800 / Warrior/Effect: Once per turn, you may return one spell or trap card on the field back to its owner's hand. During the turn this effect is used, this card cannot attack.
Description: a young woman with long green hair tied into a long tail to keep the hair from her experienced, tanned face. With a dark green fighter's gi covering her body with a large black dot on her chest, with a large steel fan in her hands
Kung Fu Young Master / Fire / LV. 6 / ATK: 1900 / DEF: 1400 / Warrior/Effect: This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card can only be special summoned by sending one face up monster with 'Kung Fu', 'Taijutsu' or 'Fighter' in their name. Depending on the Attribute of the tributed monster, this card gains the following effect.
WIND: This card may attack twice during the battle phase.
FIRE: When this card destroys a monster as a result of battle, increase the attack of this card by 300 points.
WATER: This card is unaffected by trap cards.
EARTH: Once per turn you destroy one face down card on the field. If you use this effect, this card cannot attack during the turn this card's effect was used.
Description: a young man with long black hair tied back into a braided tail, covering his muscular body was a tight purple fighter's gi and black pants, along with a long white sash around his waist
Rematch / Trap / Effect: This card can only be activated when a Warrior or Beast-Warrior monster you control is destroyed as a result of battle. Discard one card from your hand. Special summon the destroyed monster and increase its attack by 300 points.
Image: a bruised fighter standing up against a rugged boxer.
Fighter's Battle Arena / Field Spell / Effect: When a monster that includes 'Kung Fu', 'Taijutsu' or 'Monk' in its card name attacks, if its ATK is lower than the ATK of the attack target, decrease the ATK of the attack target by 1000 during damage calculation only.
Image: A large Japanese styled outdoor battle arena with a stone platform in the middle of it.
Fomalhaut: Stupid cell phone…it seems destiny loves to keep giving me annoyances…
Saint of Gluttony: I know how you feel Fomaly…
Fomalhaut: I suppose so…wait…what did you just call me?
Saint of Gluttony: I'm glad I got my perfect target all set!
Fomalhaut: Hey! Answer my question you dumbass!
The targets are being selected…but for what? Perhaps we'll find out when the Saints of Pride and Gluttony gs up against a duo familiar duelists in… - Chapter 32: Endless Night: Of the Moon and Stars
Fomalhaut: Please dear lord, don't make me work with this freak…
Saint of Gluttony: You're one to call someone a freak…
Fomalhaut: Don't make me do to you what I did to that cell phone!
Saint of Gluttony: What? Make you owe Lucian more money?
Fomalhaut: Grrr…